Panorama Medi-Clinic ER - Poor service

My daughter visited your Panorama Medi-Clinic ER department on the 17th of March and was advised to return for a CT scan the next day and sent home. I was specifically informed both in person and over the phone by a staff member at the ER reception that the follow up consultation would not incur an additional charge, as it was considered a follow-up. My medical aid has informed me that the hospital has charged me for the follow up.

Upon arrival for her CT scan the next day, my daughter was instructed to wait for a doctor in the ER, where she was assigned a bed and waited close to 6 hours for her results. I queried whether it was necessary to see the doctor in person for the results, and if we can rather go home, and I was told yes it’s necessary. Only to be told by the doctor on call that she’s not sure what the cause of her pain is, she didn’t find anything in the report apart from some minor lymph nodes. Usually, you have to meet with a doctor in-person if there are worrying findings in a scan which cannot be discussed over the phone, but she was purely sent to the ER to get her results. Had I been informed that this would result in an additional charge, we would have waited at home for the results instead. She did not receive any treatment during this follow-up that would justify an additional consultation fee either.

Given the circumstances, I request an immediate reversal of this claim from my medical aid as it has affected my savings balance, as I was misinformed regarding the billing.

Beyond the billing concern, I am extremely disappointed in the lack of medical intervention Peyton received. Despite visiting the ER twice, which resulted in +- 6 hours of waiting each day, she was ultimately sent home without any relief or recommendations. She was told to ‘wait it out’ She continues to struggle with severe lower abdominal pain on and off, often to the point where she can barely walk. I could have used this time and money to seek help elsewhere.

Additionally, her gynaecologist informed me that the on-call ER doctor should have contacted her for further investigation when she was in the ER, which aligns with standard protocol based on my past experiences at another Mediclinic ER consultations. However, this did not happen. Now, instead of receiving the proper guidance, we are being told by her gynaecologist to return to the ER yet again, leaving us to start the entire process over and we now have to seek another specialist.

This experience has been deeply frustrating, and I expect a prompt resolution regarding the incorrect billing, as well as clarity on why protocol was not followed in my daughter’s case. As a private hospital, one would expect professional guidance and proper intervention from the medical practitioners who are on call, but they left us with more questions than answers.